Part 2: The Truth, Righteousness and the Gospel SPIRITUAL WARFARE: EQUIPPED TO OVERCOME Part 2: The Truth, Righteousness and the Gospel

First, it’s important to recognize that Paul writes from the perspective of a soldier who is engaged in an advancing battle against an enemy. “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”. (Matthew 16:18)

Second, there is both an individual and a collective function to the armour presented to us. Unity in Jesus underlies the effectiveness of the armour. “… make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace”(Ephesians 4:3).

Third, it’s worth remembering that Paul writes Ephesians in AD 62, while he’s in prison, chained to a Roman guard 24 hours a day! “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:14-15)

The first piece of equipment that we have put before us is the belt of truth. The belt was the foundation on which his sword was hung and armor was attached. The belt, then, held everything together for the Roman soldier. Truth holds everything together for us as followers of Jesus; if we aim to be successful in our advance against our enemy, it must be done in truth. Barna Research Group poll (2009): only one-third of all adults (34%) believe that moral truth is absolute and unaffected by the circumstances. To what “truth” is Paul referring?

The Greek word for “truth” in this passage refers to something that has been “laid tangibly and clearly before our eyes”. Paul is writing about an absolute, clear and real truth. He’s talking about Jesus. It is by engaging in dynamic and genuine relationship with Jesus – one who is foundational truth – that we find ourselves prepared to face our enemy. Putting on the belt of truth is an act of preparing for action. Engaging in relationship with Jesus is action oriented, because it prepares us to confront the lies of our enemy. It is by engaging in relationship with Jesus that we can see the lies of Satan for what they really are.

Paul next introduces us to the breastplate of righteousness Paul next introduces us to the breastplate of righteousness. A Greek word used to describe this piece of equipment literally translates as “heart protector” and this helps us to apply Paul’s teaching. Recall that Scripture reveals to us that the seat of sinfulness is the human heart. “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 11:19)  Sin hardens our hearts to the things of God. Our intellect and our emotions become so infected with sin that we cannot help but be drawn deeper and deeper into it.

When we come to know Christ as saviour; it’s as though God takes our sinful heart and our failed attempts at self-righteousness and replaces it with a clean and pure heart and His righteousness. One of his key attacks against us is directed at our understanding of our righteousness; Satan’s attacks make us vulnerable to the lie that we are not “good enough”.

The Attack we either think or feel we are not good enough, that we just don’t measure up we begin to ruminate about the thought or flounder in the feelings that this accusation brings we find ourselves stagnated in our faith This attack is a half-truth: we don’t measure up, but through Christ, God has declared us righteous in his sight; by placing our faith in Jesus, we assume His righteousness. The breastplate of righteousness acts as a heart protector for us, protecting our intellect and emotions from Satan’s schemes.

The final piece of equipment that we are introduced to today is “feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace”. When a Roman soldier strapped on his caligas, it was a sign that he was prepared for battle, focussed on the task at hand. "… not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus". (Philippians 4:6-7)

One of the key concepts within the gospel message is that through faith in Jesus, we find peace with God. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” (Romans 5:1-2) The peace of God surrounds our hearts and minds, protecting our emotions and thoughts from attack. The peace of God provides a firm confidence in our standing before God and a calm assurance that permeates our approach to the world around us. Ideally, the peace of God dominates your life in such a way that it governs your thoughts and feelings, creating a barrier against which Satan cannot breach.

A Conclusion Because we are to engage offensively against our enemy, we need recognize our need for spiritual equipment to come against Satan in an effective way. God has blessed us with such equipment. We’ve been given the belt of truth to remind us to engage in dynamic and genuine relationship with Jesus – the One who is foundational truth – so that we are prepared to face our enemy.

We’ve been given the breastplate of righteousness to act as a heart protector for us, protecting our intellect and emotions from Satan’s schemes and to allow us to stand tall in Christ’s righteousness. We’ve been given the footwear of peace to surround our hearts and minds, protecting our emotions and thoughts from the enemy’s attack and to ready us by creating within us a calm preparedness to face down oncoming attack.